With his cage encounter against Serbian standout Slobodan Maksimovic set to take place seven days before Christmas, Filipino mixed martial arts star Rolando “The Incredible” Dy cannot think of a better present for himself than to return home with the victory.
The 30-year-old son of Pinoy boxing legend Rolando Navarrete will be entering enemy territory on December 18 to take on Maksimovic in the headliner of BRAVE CF 56. The match takes place at the state-of-the-art Belexpocentar in Belgrade, Serbia.
“I want to win again, that’s for sure,” he expressed.
“There’s no greater gift I can receive this coming Christmas other than putting myself back in the win column. That’s all I want for Christmas this year.”
Dy’s remarkable two-fight winning streak – which saw him capture the 2020 BRAVE CF Fighter of the Year award – came to a screeching halt this past March. He succumbed to a second-round stoppage loss at the hands of Kyrgyz powerhouse Abdisalam “Omok” Kubanychbek.
Moreover, the heartbreaking defeat derailed his momentum towards getting a crack at the coveted BRAVE CF Lightweight World Championship which was then with Amin “Fierceness” Ayoub at the time.
Clinching his 15th career win as a ten-year pro in the sport is what the hard-hitter from Cavite, Philippines desires the most this coming Yuletide season.
“I had a great and unforgettable 2020. This year is quite different.
“I started my 2021 on the wrong foot. Closing out the year with a win is certainly the goal in my next fight. It’s a win-or-bust kind of situation, but I am going all out for this one,” Dy stated.
However, re-entering the winner’s circle will be no easy task for Dy. Maksimovic will have the luxury of having a partisan crowd rallying behind him on December 18.
In addition, the No. 5-ranked lightweight in the Balkan Peninsula has won two in a row since the pandemic started. He has aced seven of his last eight outings since 2016.
With that in mind, “The Incredible” plans to leave no stone unturned when he shares the stage with the highly-touted Maksimovic.
“Decision, knockout, or submission, I am open to all possible outcomes. But one thing is for sure – I will be ready for whatever my opponent brings on fight night,” he declared.
“I will make my Christmas celebration more special this year.”
